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Harrier
Allies |baseunit = |role = Fighter/bomber |useguns = AGM-65 Maverick missiles |usearmor = Light |tier = 2 |hp = 150 |shield = |energy = |timedlife = |armortype = Light |trans = |amphibious = |cost = $1200 |time = 0:48 |produced = Airforce Command Headquarters |req = |hotkey = |techlvl = 3 |squadsize = 1 |groundattack = 150 (300 when elite) (ORCAAP) |airattack = |cooldown = 10 |airspeed = 14 |landspeed = |seaspeed = |range = 6 (9 when elite) |sight = 8 |parent = |addons = |evolvesto = |power = |produce = |allows = |research = |ability = |eliteability = Increased strength, firepower, rate of fire, self-healing |structure = |notes = }} The AV-8 Harrier is a high speed VTOL (Vertical Takeoff and Landing) fighter employed by most of the Allied forces during the Third World War and the Psychic Dominator Disaster. Korea was the only exception, as they used the Black Eagle instead. Background This VTOL jet is the main fighter of the Allied forces. Capable of both hovering and flying at high speeds, this single pilot aircraft is the bane of enemy armour and buildings thanks to its array of Maverick missiles. However, it has very weak armour and any kind of AA defense poses a serious threat. Gatling cannons and Gatling tanks prove to be extremely effective, as the high rate of fire and AP rounds can easily punch through the light fuselage of a Harrier. Flak while not as powerful is better at taking out large groups, due to the area effect caused by exploding shells. Harriers can take off vertically, but fuel limitations prevent them from patrolling the sky for a long time. However, Harriers will not crash because of fuel shortage and can be used to reveal the map. If the Airforce Command is destroyed, the Harrier will stay mid-air until it unloads its missiles, if it manages to evade the destruction of its airpad. Maverick missiles cannot attack air targets. In the opening of the Psychic Dominator Disaster a squadron of at least 4 Harriers, attempted to destroy the Psychic Dominator at San Francisco, but before any of them could get within striking distance of the Dominator, Yuri's Gatling cannons opened fire. Even though the Harriers took evasive action, they were all hit by Gattling cannon fire and shot down, but one of the Harriers was hit in the engine and crashed into the Nuclear Reactor powering the Psychic Dominator, damaging it and disabling the Dominator for some time, buying the Allies and Soviets enough time to go back in time and stop Yuri. The Harrier was the most used aircraft by the Allies, fielded by most Allied nations. Korean engineers, however, noticed the severe armor weaknessess of the aircraft and designed their own advanced replacement. The result was the Black Eagle, which possesses more firepower and greatly improved survivability than Harriers while maintaining the same production cost. In-game Harriers should be used for destroying specific immobile targets, as well as slow ground-based units (ore miners, for instance). Roughly three Harriers can destroy a tank, less if veteran or elite. It is, however, rare for a Harrier pilot to survive long enough to gain a promotion. Harriers drop to the ground then explode, dealing additional damage when destroyed. It is also useful to damage other enemy buildings (but it can still cause friendly fire). Legacy In War of the Three Powers, the F-11X Apollo Fighter has replaced the aging Harrier on its anti-air duty, while the B2-X Century Bomber and Vindicator have taken its place regarding ground attacks. Assessment Pros * Can be unlocked early in the game (only an Air Force Command HQ is required). * Bane of enemy armour and buildings. * Powerful in numbers. * Faster than other aircraft. * Causes significant damage to a single target even when hitting the ground. Cons * Poorly armoured. * Easily ripped to shreds by most anti-aircraft defenses, especially Yuri's Gattling cannons and Gattling tanks. * Only carries one missile, has to return to Airforce HQ for rearming frequently. * No air-to-air armaments unlike Allied Rocketeers. * Cannot enter Service Depot for fast repair unless using force-moving. * They tend to group together just before striking a target, which makes Flak weapons extremely dangerous. * Unlike ground vehicles, they have turning radius, thus may unintentionally enter dangerous places. * Expensive to build a fleet of them (4800 credits per Airforce HQ plus the cost of the structure). Selected Quotes Gallery Harrier Voxel Render.jpg|Voxel Model Render Image:Harriers.PNG|Harriers flying over an American flag during General Carville's funeral Image:Harrier Strike Alcatraz.jpg|Mojo Squadron over San Francisco. The Squadron were wiped out on this sortie by Yuri Gatling cannons guarding the Psychic Dominator. Image:Harrior.JPG|A Harrier mid-flight YR_Harrier_View.jpg|Harrier pilot view Image:RA2_Harrier_French_Icons.gif|Icon with French text Image:RA2_Harrier_Korea_Icons.gif|Icon with Korea text Image:RA2_Harrier_China_Icons.jpeg|Icon with Chinese text. The words 入侵者 actually mean "Intruder", which was the working name of the Harrier Trivia *The Harrier's original ingame string read Intruder, which is seen in the game files. A possible reason for the change of name is that the real-life A-6 Intruder is a CTOL (Conventional Take-off and Landing, non-hovering) aircraft, which would not fit into the Airforce Command Headquarters "helipad" concept. *Likewise, the in-game Harrier voxel resembles the A-6 Intruder, a carrier-based strike aircraft, rather than the AV-8 Harrier, which has a sleeker shape, further confirming that the plane's original name during the beta phase was Intruder. However, the planes shown in the cutscenes accurately portray the real AV-8 Harrier. *Harriers, Black Eagles, Paradrop Planes, Hornets, Ospreys, Spy Planes, Kirov Airships, MiGs and Floating Discs are the only air units that deliver splash damage upon being shot down. This is in contrast to the NightHawk Transport helicopter and the Siege Chopper, which do not deliver splash damage upon being shot down. Category:Red Alert 2 Aircraft Category:Red Alert 2 Allied Arsenal